Electronically Controlled Vehicle Lift and Vehicle Service System

ABSTRACT

A vehicle lift has a communication and/or a lift control assembly, including a processor, which is functional to control the raising and lowering of the lift and to enable the display of, and communication of, a variety of lift data. The vehicle lift includes sensors in communication with the control, where the pre-programmed processor recognizes and categorizes lift data and lift faults before sending warnings, notices, and other lift data to lift users, maintenance providers, or a central headquarters. The visual display unit of the assemblies may include a processor and may be detachable or adjustable.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/891,467, filed Jul. 14, 2004, titled Electronically ControlledVehicle Left and Vehicle Service System, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference, which is a continuation in part ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/055,800, filed Oct. 26, 2001 (issuedas U.S. Pat. No. 6,983,196), titled Electronically Controlled VehicleLift And Vehicle Service System, the disclosure of which is incorporatedherein by reference, and which claims priority to and incorporates byreference the disclosure of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.60/243,827, filed Oct. 27, 2000.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to vehicle lifts and theircontrols and, more particularly, to vehicle lifts having acommunication, and/or monitoring control, system and display.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hydraulic and electro-mechanical (e.g. screw) vehicle lifts for raisingand lowering vehicles are well known. While the design and configurationof vehicle lifts vary, they all are used primarily for servicingvehicles. They must all have some type of control system to affect theraising and lowering function.

Prior art control systems for hydraulic lifts typically include anelectric switch wired in series with the pump motor for raising the liftand a manually operated lowering valve for lowering the lift. Raisingand lowering a vehicle into position typically requires a series ofsteps. Raising a vehicle with such a hydraulic lift requires depressingthe electric switch to raise the vehicle, followed by operating thelowering valve to lower the lift to the locking mechanism. To lower avehicle beyond the locking mechanism, such as to the ground, the firststep is disengagement of the latches, which may be manually,electrically or pneumatically disengaged. The technician must firstraise the lift off of the latches, and then either manually disengagethe latches, or operate an electric switch or a pneumatic valve througha lever. The technician next operates the lowering valve whilecontinuously operating the electric switch or pneumatic valve to holdthe latches disengaged.

The vehicle lift and the area close by the lift, within which thetechnician moves and works on the vehicle, is generally called the liftbay or service bay. To use the vehicle lift properly and safely, thetechnician needs accurate information regarding the safe operation andmaintenance of the lift, such as for example vehicle lift points,operating conditions of the lift, maintenance and trouble shootinginformation. While working on a vehicle, a technician may need immediateaccess to current and accurate information regarding operating the liftand servicing the vehicle.

Typically, the information needed by a technician is not available atthe lift bay. While the needed information is generally available asmanuals or other printed form, such are frequently not kept in theservice bay, if kept anywhere at all, and may be outdated. To obtain theinformation, the technician is thus usually required to leave the bayand locate the information. A technician may be unwilling to leave thebay to locate the information, since this adds another step to thetechnician's work schedule. A technician may work more efficiently ifeverything needed to work on the vehicle is within the bay. Time spentby a technician away from the bay to obtain information, parts, processpaper work, etc. detracts from the efficient performance of service onthe vehicle.

Instruction on proper lift use is important for new technicians or newlifts. In such training situations, instruction may not occur at all ifmuch effort is required to learn or teach the use of the lift or tolocate the relevant instructional material. Instruction may be given byother technicians who may themselves not be aware of the properoperation of the lift, relying instead on their own understanding ofoperating the lift.

Proper lift maintenance is also important. Routine maintenance may needto be performed to keep a lift operating properly and safely. Althoughthe need for preventative maintenance arises from the usage of the lift,information on preventative maintenance of lifts is not always readilyavailable. Routine maintenance schedules may be kept independent of thelifts, such that the technician does not typically know while he is inthe lift bay whether routine maintenance needs to be performed.Maintenance information regarding repair or trouble shooting informationis also typically not kept in the lift bay, which may result in limitedor inefficient use of such important resource materials.

Although vehicle lifts define the service bay and are the focal pointfor servicing a vehicle, vehicle lifts themselves are consideredsecondary to other equipment used to service a vehicle. The view of thecapabilities of a vehicle lift and its control has been limited to theraising and lowering functions, and has not extended to other functions.Thus, vehicle lifts and their controls have not been considered by thoseskilled in the art for providing access to information needed by thetechnician, or for collecting and transmitting information relative tooperation of the lift of the servicing of the vehicle.

In many existing devices, electronic controls for basic lift controlfunctionality are contained within a cart-like apparatus positionedadjacent to the lift. In a crowded workstation, this cart-like apparatusmay take valuable space that may be at a premium in the workplace. Itwould therefore be advantageous to provide an electronic control orcommunication device that reduces general clutter in the workplace whileproviding easy access to control or communication functionality.

The present inventors have recognized that the overlooked vehicle liftand its control can meet the unrecognized needs for electronic deliveryof information to and from the lift bay. The advent by the presentinvention of providing the ability to access, collect and transmitinformation by the vehicle lift control in addition to providing thelift functions, creates the new need to be able to revise the newnon-lift functions of a lift control completely independent of the liftfunctions of the lift control.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of thespecification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, andtogether with the description serve to explain the principles of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial side view of a column of a vehicle lift with controland display in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the vehicle lift column of FIG.1;

FIG. 2 a is a partial perspective view of another embodiment similar toFIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a coupling for a vehicle lift controland display in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a display unit having a case and dockingstructure in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the display unit of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 a is a partial rear view of a display unit having a caseillustrating an attachment coupling in a concealed position inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 b is a partial rear view of a display unit having a caseillustrating an attachment coupling in an open position in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 7 a is a side perspective view of the display unit of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 b is a side perspective view of the display unit of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a disconnected display unit and dockingstructure;

FIG. 9 illustrates a visual display for the display unit of FIG. 4;

FIG. 10 illustrates an action toolbar for the visual display of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 illustrates a pop-up for the visual display of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 illustrates a programmed calendar for the visual display of FIG.9; and

FIG. 13 illustrates an error display for the visual display of FIG. 9.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodimentof the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicatethe same elements throughout the views, FIG. 1 illustrates a side viewof one embodiment of a control assembly 16 in accordance with thepresent invention. Control assembly 16 may include a control portionand/or a display portion. One embodiment of the present inventioncomprises detachably or permanently coupling a computer such as, forexample, a laptop or tablet computer, to a lift such as to lift column 2in order to reduce general workplace clutter. Control assembly 16 mayinclude, for example, bracket 34 for retaining a data input deviceadapted for entering lift data such as, for example, a keyboard, amouse. Alternatively, the data input device may be, for example, a touchscreen integrated with display unit 32. Lift data is herein defined asany data relevant to the safety, maintenance, operation or control of alift. The input device may be coupled with a processor (not shown)housed within display unit 32 or enclosure 28. The input device may, forexample, be a touch screen, a keyboard, a mouse, or any other suitableinput device. The processor may, for example, be adapted to provide liftdata to a user via a visual display, to provide lift data to a remote orcentral location, such as a corporate headquarters, or to provide liftdata to a user, where the data is received over a network from a remotelocation. As used herein the term “remote location” shall be read toinclude any display, lift, evaluation location, maintenance location,security location, data processing center and/or any other location notcontained at the lift. In a further embodiment of the present invention,the processor of control assembly 16 may be integrated with the liftsuch as at column 2 to control, for example, the movement, access,maintenance, or security of the lift.

In one embodiment of the present invention, control assembly 16 includesa processor that controls the movement of the lift. The same processor,or one or more additional processors may also control, for example,access, and/or security, in addition to the communication features ofcontrol assembly 16 such as, for example, receiving lift data over anetwork, updating lift data, such as manual information, from a remotelocation, sending lift data from the lift to a remote location, such asa corporate headquarters, or sending lift data to other lift assembliesconnected via a network.

In one embodiment of the present invention, control assembly 16 maycomprise display unit 32, which may be a computer (including aprocessor), and a lift control interface 200. Display unit 32 may, forexample, receive and display sensor data, lift data from a remotelocation, advertisements and/or warnings from the processor. In oneembodiment of the present invention, when display unit 32 is engagedwith locking structure 40 of control assembly 16, data display andcommunication to and/or from the processor may be continuous ordelivered at preprogrammed intervals. In one embodiment, when displayunit 32 is disengaged from locking structure 40, lift data communicationto display unit 32 may be halted, where display unit 32 may continue todisplay data received and stored prior to the disengagement. Data may bestored in display unit 32 on a hard drive, as RAM, or in any othersuitable storage medium. In one embodiment, when re-engaged with lockingstructure 40, communication with display unit 32 may be reestablished.When display unit is disengaged, by way of example, a processor inlocking structure 40 may continue to store in-coming data on a harddrive, as RAM, or in any other suitable storage medium. Reconnectingdisplay unit 32 to locking structure 40 may cause the processor oflocking structure 40 to transmit any or all lift data that was storedwhile display unit 32 was detached.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the movement of the lift maybe controlled by or through a processor which is part of the displayunit 32. If the display unit 32 is removable, it is desirable that themovement of the lift still be controllable. In such a case, liftmovement control would be affected by a processor which remains attachedto the lift, controlled such as by lift control interface 200. Liftcontrol interface may 200 be any suitable input device such as, forexample, a touch screen or a keyboard. It is to be noted that effectingcontrol of lift movement through a processor permanently attached to thelift, rather than at some times through a removable processor, such asone combined with the display unit 32 (when configured as a table orlaptop computer), simplifies the system, avoiding any issues withcontrol transfer between the permanent processor and the display unitprocessor.

The user may control the lift via lift control interface 200, wherecontrol data may be communicated to the processor which communicateswith the lift features of the vehicle lift. In addition to controllingthe lift movement, the processor may also communicate lift control datato, for example, display unit 32, a remote location, adjacent lifts,and/or a service provider. In one embodiment of the present invention,when display unit 32 is detached from locking structure 40, lift controlinterface 200 retains its functionality although lift control data maynot be transmitted to display unit 32 until display unit 32 is reengagedwith locking structure 40.

As mentioned above, in one embodiment of the present invention, aprocessor of control assembly 16 may be contained within display unit32, where display unit 32 may be, for example, a currently availablelaptop computer or interactive tablet such as FUJITSU model ST5010.Display unit 32, in one embodiment of the present invention, may bedocked within docking structure 40 (see FIG. 2), such that display unit32 may be locked into place while the lift is in use, or removed, foruse as a wireless display, or as a stand alone computer. (It is notedthat if the display unit 32 provides the only processor which controlslift movement, movement of the lift is not effected when the displayunit 32 is not docked.)

In one embodiment of the present invention, display unit 32 may beprovided with wireless network communication to, for example, theinternet, via, for example, blue tooth, or other suitable wirelessconnections. In a further embodiment of the present invention, displayunit 32 may have its own power source, such as a rechargeable battery,which allows it to operate when not disposed in docking structure 40.Coupling 80 (FIG. 8) may be included to provide display 32 with powerand/or data communication port or coupling. In a further embodiment ofthe present invention, display unit 32 may be provided with an AC plug,such that the plug may be inserted into a standard AC outlet housedwithin control assembly 16, the lift, or a standard wall outlet.Alternatively, a display may be permanently affixed to the lift. Stillother configurations for providing display features will be apparent tothose of ordinary skill in the art.

In one embodiment of the present invention, input device 34 may be incommunication with display unit 32 via a wireless connection or astandard wired connection. In a further embodiment of the presentinvention, input device 34 may be integrated with display unit 32 suchas, for example, in a laptop or table configuration, or as a touchscreen display. Any information related to the operation of the lift,including, without limitation, lift data, usage data, operation faultdata, and/or vehicle data, may be received by and/or stored, forexample, in a memory within enclosure 28, in a memory of display unit32, and/or at a remote location, such as a corporate headquarters, orelsewhere in the facility in which the lift is situated. The presentinvention comprises storing data by any suitable means such as, forexample, in a hard drive or RAM provided within enclosure 28 or displayunit 32. Alternatively, data may be stored in any removable mediumand/or in any suitable remote and/or local location

Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the present invention comprisesproviding control assembly 16 with coupling 45 for attaching displayunit 32 or docking structure 40 to the lift, such as to enclosure 28 ordirectly to column 2. One embodiment of coupling 45 is disclosed in moredetail in FIG. 3. Coupling 45 may be, for example, a rigid mount, atelescoping mount, or a swivel mount. Adjustable mounts may provideusers with a more convenient means of viewing and/or inputtinginformation into display unit 32.

FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of swivel coupling 60, having joint63, where first mount 61 may be coupled to docking structure 40 ordisplay unit 32, and second mount 62 may be mounted to enclosure 28 ordirectly to column 2. The swivel coupling 60 may allow for the displayunit 32 to be adjusted to a suitable level and/or angle to permit highvisibility and/or accessibility to users. It will be apparent to thoseof ordinary skill in the art that a plurality of adjustable and/ormovable couplings are in accordance with the present invention.Alternatively, docking structure 40 may be rigidly or otherwisenon-movably coupled to enclosure 28.

FIG. 4 illustrates a front plan view of one embodiment of a display unit32, retained within docking structure 40, with case 70 covering portionsof display unit 32. In one embodiment of the present invention, case 70is constructed from a protective material such as, for example,cushioning material or elastic material, and substantially encasesdisplay unit 32. Case 70 may include padding or other protectivematerial positioned around the perimeter of display unit 32 to protectthe detachable display unit 32, such as, from accidental falls or dailywear and tear on the instrument. In one embodiment, case 70 may includetransparent portion 71, affixed to the perimeter padded protectivematerial, covering the visual display portion of display unit 32.Transparent portion 71 may be constructed from any suitable transparentor semi-transparent material and may reduce the contamination of thecontrol assembly 16 associated with frequent interaction with displayunit 32. In a further embodiment of the present invention, transparentportion 71 may be a touch pad overlay having writing and/or symbolsindicating the significance of associated touch pad keys lyingunderneath (not shown).

Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7, in one embodiment of the presentinvention, case 70 comprises an attachment coupling 75. Attachmentcoupling 75 may be any suitable attachment device suitable for allowingdisplay unit 32 to be hung from, for example, the lift such as column 2,part of a vehicle, or any other suitable location. Attachment coupling75 may be, in one embodiment, a semi-circular hook that is sewed intocase 70. Case 70 may also be provided with concealer 76. Concealer 76may be, for example, a flap affixed to case 70 at one end and detachablycoupled to case 70, such as by a VELCRO connection, at the opposite end.Concealer 76 may substantially conceal attachment coupling 75 whenattachment coupling 75 is not in use, to prevent case 70 from catchingon other instruments.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, referring to FIGS. 4and 5, display unit 32 may be provided with a wireless connection, suchthat display unit 32 may display and update lift data when notinterfaced with docking structure 40. Removal of case 70 and displayunit 32 from docking structure 40 may engage, for example, a DC powersource housed within display unit 32. After removal from dockingstructure, display unit 32 may, in one embodiment of the presentinvention, be placed, via attachment coupling 75, to any suitablelocation desirable for viewing lift data. When reattached to dockingstructure 40, attachment coupling 75 may be concealed.

Referring to FIGS. 7 a and 7 b, case 70, in one embodiment of thepresent invention, may include cutouts 77 in the protective material.Cutouts 77 may be provided with any suitable shape or configuration toengage arms 78 of docking structure 40. When pushed over arms 78, theraised perimeter of case 70 surrounding cutouts 77 may retain case 70within locking structure 40. In one embodiment of the present invention,to remove display unit 32, case 70 may be manually pulled away fromdocking structure 40, thereby disengaging cutouts 77 from arms 78.

FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of a visual display 90 that may beshown on display unit 32 in accordance with a lift information system.The lift information system may include a first function monitoring thestatus of the lift computer, lift electrical system, lift mechanicalsystem, lift electromechanical system, lift hydraulic system, and/orother systems, a second function providing a user with a preventativemaintenance and/or reminder system, and a third function for control oflift movement. Visual display 90 may include programming associated withan operating system such as, for example, Microsoft Windows, that maydisplay any suitable lift data to a user. Visual display 90 may includelift cycle indicator 91 that displays the number of times the lift hasbeen utilized (e.g., current number of lift cycles). Visual display 90may include current time and/or date indicator 92 which may displaycalendar information to a user at all times or upon request. Visualdisplay 90 may be provided with dock status display 93, where sensorsassociated with the lift may relay dock status (e.g., docked orundocked) to the processor for display on display unit 32. In a furtherembodiment of the present invention, visual display 90 may displayindicator 94 of the last time and/or date the lift was used or thedate/time the lift computer was last polled.

In one embodiment of a lift information system, the information systemhas two functions. The first is to monitor the status of the liftcomputer and the second is to provide the technician a preventivemaintenance and reminder system. The information system will launchautomatically when the computer is started and remains running in thebackground constantly monitoring the lift and checking for preventativemaintenance activities and reminders. In this embodiment, Rotary Lifthas preloaded the prescribed maintenance activities for the lift. Themaintenance intervals are either based on time or on lift usage. Themore the lift is used, the more often it needs to be maintained. To findthe information system application, a user may have to locate theapplication in the Windows Taskbar. In this embodiment, the Taskbar islocated at the bottom of the screen. The user can locate the informationsystem application in the Taskbar and click once on the button tomaximize the application. The Windows form will appear similar to thegraphic depicted in FIG. 9. This application utilizes a grid 95 formatto give the technician a snapshot of all preventative maintenance orreminder activities in the system. The technician can quickly see whatactivities are coming up by referring to the “Service Description,”“Next Service Date/Time” and the “Next Cycle Threshold” columns.

Still referring to FIG. 9, visual display 90 may, in one embodiment,include grid 95 depicting, for example, past usage of the lift, durationof previous usages, previous lift cycles, a description of the serviceperformed, and billing information. Future events may also be depictedin grid 95 such as, for example, the next service date and/or timerecommended and the next cycle threshold.

FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of action toolbar 100 that may beshown in accordance with visual display 90. Action toolbar 100 may beprovided upon user request or may be presented to a user at all timesduring system use. Action toolbar 100 may be, for example, a series oficonic buttons that may be pressed by touch screen or are otherwiseactivated by mouse or keypad. Action toolbar 100 may include add a newreminder command 101, delete a reminder command 102, change a remindercommand 103, manually poll the lift computer command 104, view the liftparameters command 105 (e.g., may be used for diagnostic purposes), makeconfiguration changes command 106 (usually performed by theadministrator), hide or minimize the information system applicationcommand 107, and/or help command 108. Action toolbar 100 may alsoinclude any suitable command icon suitable for performing diagnosticinspection of the lift and/or the processor of control assembly 16. Inone embodiment, toolbar 100 enables a user to quickly locate and accessthe functionality of a lift information system application.

FIG. 11 illustrates one embodiment of pop-up 109, which may appear onvisual display 90. The lift information system may, for example,comprise programming, cooperating with programmed calendar 110 (FIG.12), that commands pop-up 109 when a routine operation is to beperformed on a lift. For example, a technician from a maintenanceprovider may need to inspect a lift every six months, where a week priorto the inspection date a pop-up 109 may alert the user that aninspection is due, that an inspector is coming, and/or ask forconfirmation that an inspection is requested. Lift data related topop-ups 109 may, for example, be stored in the processor, for examplesuch as in display unit 32, or sent to a remote central processornetworked to multiple lifts. Lift data may, in one embodiment, beupdated either continuously or periodically. A further embodiment of thepresent invention comprises providing users with the ability to createtheir own pop-ups as reminders for, for example, maintenance, security,diagnostic testing, or billing, and may be based upon programmedcalendar 110 or other suitable parameters. For example, a pop-up mayalso be pre-programmed to occur when the lift has exceeded anestablished threshold of use cycles. Upon exceeding this threshold theuser may be instructed to contact a representative or may be informedthat a representative has been dispatched. In one embodiment of thepresent invention, pop-up 109 may also include a snooze feature, wherepop-up 109 may be temporarily removed for a set period of time beforerecurring.

In one embodiment, when the number of lift cycles equals the cyclethreshold for a particular activity, a pop-up 109 reminder will bedisplayed. The technician has two options when the reminder isdisplayed: “Snooze” the reminder for a number of minutes; or completethe activity and confirm the reminder is complete. To “Snooze” thereminder, the user may use the dropdown box to select the number ofminutes to snooze. The user can also type in the number of minutes inthe text box. When finished, the user may click once on the “Snooze for”button.

In another embodiment, with reference to FIG. 12, the user can create anew reminder based on either days or lift cycles. To add a new reminder,the user may click once on the “Add” button (i.e., the add a newreminder command 101) in the toolbar 100. To select days or lift cycles,the user may click once on the appropriate radio button. The next stepis to determine if this reminder needs to be recurring or a one timeevent. The user may type in the number of days between events or selecta date from the calendar and the number of days will be automaticallyentered. The final steps are to enter a description of the preventativemaintenance or reminder and select a time to display the event. Whenfinished, the user may click once on the “Save” button.

FIG. 13 illustrates one embodiment of error display 112 that may beshown on visual display 90. Error display 112 may be pre-programmed toregister and display a brief summary of any lift, network, and/orprocessor malfunction that occurs. Error display 112 may be displayedupon the occurrence of a system error, where error display 112 maycontain an “okay” button confirming that the user has recognized theerror. One embodiment of the present invention further comprisessignaling the processor to send the error message to a remote locationsuch as, for example, a customer service provider, where error messagesmay be evaluated and service decisions may be made.

In one embodiment, where display unit 32 comprises a tablet, whenevercertain problems occur with the lift or the lift's embedded computer, amessage will be displayed on the tablet's screen if the tablet computeris docked in the lift's docking station. If a problem occurs when thetablet computer is undocked, the message will be displayed when thetablet computer is re-docked. When an error occurs, the cause of theproblem should be assessed. For example, a photo sensor fault errorindicates the vehicle has been raised too high and has tripped theoverhead sensor.

In another embodiment, the user may change a preventative maintenanceactivity. To change a reminder activity in this embodiment, the user mayselect the activity by clicking once in the grey column to the left ofthe service description. The user may then click once on the “Change”button (i.e., the change a reminder command 103) in the toolbar 100. Inthis embodiment, if the user selects a pre-existing “factory”preventative maintenance activity, the number of cycles or days can onlybe decreased. Using the scroll buttons, the user may adjust the numberof cycles or days to the desired value and click the “Save” button.Selecting to change a personal reminder will display a screen. Anyreminder options can be changed when updating a personal reminder. Theuser may make any necessary modifications to the reminder (refer to textdiscussing FIG. 12) and then click once on the “Save” button.

Although not shown, the present invention comprises providing a securitysystem programmed into the processor and/or control assembly 16. Thesecurity system may send data directly to the visual display 90 fordisplay to the user and/or data may be transmitted to a remote location,such as a customer service provider, for evaluation, archiving, or otherpurposes. One embodiment comprises providing sensors to monitor any liftcondition that may be hazardous if not carefully monitored. For example,sensors on the lift may detect the number of lift cycles the lift hasperformed and may send this data to the processor. The processor may bepre-programmed with a set threshold indicating the safe number of liftcycles that may be performed before maintenance is suggested and/orrequired. When the threshold is exceeded, the system may, using sourcecode for example, indicate to the user that a security condition exists.In one embodiment, the system may also contact a remote location, suchas a corporate headquarters, with the security report and/or disable thelift until proper procedures have been undertaken. In a furtherembodiment of the present invention, the lift will not be disabled, buta persistent security indicator will warn the user of the conditionuntil the situation is alleviated.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a security system mayrequire an identity indicator before permitting the lift to becomeoperable. Proper access may be protected by any suitable accessprotection means such as, for example, password protection, key access,card-swipe access, voice activation, or other biometrics basedactivation. Control assembly 16 may also include a log that, forexample, registers the identity of each user who operates the lift, theactivities performed by the user on the lift, the duration of the user,and/or any errors that occurred during the use of the lift. The log, inone embodiment of the invention, may be accessed by a manager and/orsecurity administrator to insure that the lift is used in accordancewith established procedures.

Although not shown, the present invention comprises the integration ofone or a plurality of lift sensors integrated with the processor.Sensors may be positioned at any suitable location, such as in, on,and/or near the lift, by way of example only. In one embodiment, sensorsare configured to communicate data relating to the lift, such as datarelating to use and/or condition of the lift. Sensors may be adapted tomonitor lift characteristics related to, for example, providing adequatesafety, insuring proper lift use, insuring proper billing, insuringproper maintenance, and/or insuring proper lift loads. To insure properbilling, in one embodiment, the system may record all lift cycles andcompare the lift cycle data with user financial data to insure that useand billing are commensurate. One embodiment of the present inventionincludes, for example, incorporating financial programs, such asQUICKEN, into the processor, where financial records may be comparedand/or stored in conjunction with lift data. The system may alsointerface with centralized billing or financial software of theestablishment.

In one embodiment of the present invention the processor of controlassembly 16 includes two modes of data transmission. Pre-programming ofthe processor may send data recorded from lift sensors to pre-setlocations based upon the classification of the data. In one embodimentof the present invention, sensor data may be classified as maintenance,security, use, and/or personal.

Sensor data may be pre-programmed or programmed by the user to be sentby, for example, the processor to desirable locations, selecteddepending on the characteristics of the information. For example, a loadsensor on the lift may transmit data to the processor, where theprocessor evaluates whether the sensor has indicated a load above theestablished safety threshold. Once exceeded, pre-programming of theprocessor may be established that displays this warning only to theuser. The transmission of local warnings may provide added security tolocal lift operators without signaling a fault to a remote location suchas, for example, a corporate headquarters.

Data and/or warnings detected by the processor from use sensors, whichmay ascertain the number of times the lift has cycled, may betransmitted by the pre-programmed processor to a local user and/or to aremote location such as, for example, a customer service provider.Sending data to multiple locations may, for example, help insure that aheavily used lift is not operated until maintenance is provided, bydispatching or alerting a customer representative to contact or visitthe user. Simultaneously, in one embodiment, a message may be sent, to aremote location, such as a customer service provider or maintenancefacility, indicating that the facility operating the lift should becontacted regarding a routine check-up or repairs. One embodiment of thepresent invention comprises providing multiple sensors that communicatedata to a processor of control assembly 16, where the processor ispreprogrammed to categorize the sensor data and communicate warnings,indicators, or notices, through display or other suitable communicationmeans, to a service provider, a user, a corporate headquarters, and/orother lifts. In one embodiment of the present invention, data ismonitored at each sensor every sixty-seconds. In addition, or in thealternative, data may be communicated from lift system to a networklocation periodically, such as once every sixty-seconds, or at any otherdesirable time interval. Sensor data may, for example, be sent by theprocessor in a real-time or near real-time stream of data over anetwork, or only at pre-determined intervals. Alternatively, sensor datamay be communicated to a network location only when a local processor orresults of evaluation have determined that one or more conditions havebeen satisfied. Alternatively, sensor data may be communicated uponremote request.

In one embodiment of the present invention, control assembly 16 may beintegrated with a local and/or global communications network. Data maybe received, for example, by the processor of control assembly 16, fromone or a plurality of sensors. The processor may acquire data from thesensors by any suitable communications or transmission means known inthe art. Sensor data may then be communicated to network locations bythe processor, where the network locations may store, evaluate, and/ordisplay the transmitted data. For example, a plurality of lifts may beintegrated into a national network over the internet. Data from liftsensors detecting a fault may be transmitted by the processor to anetwork location that categorizes all of the lift faults from all liftlocations. A remote processor may then evaluate all fault data toascertain whether specific system and/or user faults are occurring atunacceptably high levels. Alternatively, the processor of controlassembly 16 may evaluate lift data and send fault data to a remotelocation for processing. Collected data may be communicated to networklocations in any suitable fashion, as will be appreciated by those ofordinary skill in the art. By way of example only, data may be pushedfrom the sensors, pulled from the sensors, or both.

The compiled data may then, for example, be used to transmit updatedwarning information, notices, and/or recall information to all liftusers to indicate potential problems and suggested preventativemaintenance. One embodiment of the present invention comprises providingindividual lifts with specific identifications, such as serial numbers,that correspond to lift location, lift ownership, and/or any othersuitable parameter stored at a network location. Monitoring lift faultsmay, for example, help target specific users and/or locations that maybe experiencing greater than usual errors in use of the lifts. Excessivefaults from a single location may signal a network administrator and/orservice provider to provide an additional maintenance check oradditional training on use of the system. In addition to fault and/orwarning notices, a remote network location, such as a corporateheadquarters, may communicate any suitable notice to lift operatorsincluding, for example, advertising notices.

In addition, other possible uses of functions of, means of gathering,and means of communicating lift data will be apparent to those ofordinary skill in the art. It will also be appreciated by those ofordinary skill in the art that the monitoring, diagnostic, and/orcommunications systems disclosed herein may be integrated, in whole orin part, with one or more controls systems and/or other systems.Alternatively, one or more of such systems may be separate from theother systems relating to the lift. By way of example only, one or moresystems having features of the monitoring, diagnostic, and/orcommunications systems disclosed herein may be installed on a lift thathas a pre-existing control system. Still other possible system orsystems configurations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill inthe art. Further, it is noted that in an alternate embodiment, thedisplay unit 32 may be a laptop or tablet computer which does notinterface with the lift functions or monitoring of the lift conditions,functioning stand alone while mounted to the lift.

In summary, numerous benefits have been described which result fromemploying the concepts of the invention. The foregoing description of apreferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modificationsor variations are possible in light of the above teachings. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best illustrate theprinciples of the invention and its practical application to therebyenable one of ordinary skill in the art to best utilize the invention invarious embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of theinvention be defined by the claims appended hereto.

1. A method of monitoring a vehicle lift, the method comprising: (a)providing a vehicle lift system, wherein the vehicle lift systemcomprises: (i) a vehicle lift, wherein the vehicle lift is operable toraise and lower a vehicle, (ii) one or more sensors, wherein at leastone of the one or more sensors is positioned on or in the vehicle lift,wherein the one or more sensors are operable to collect lift data,wherein the lift data indicates one or both of lift use characteristicsor lift performance, (iii) a processing circuit in communication withthe one or more sensors, wherein the processing circuit is operable todetect a maintenance condition of the vehicle lift based at least inpart on the lift data, and (iv) a communication circuit in communicationwith the processing circuit, wherein the communication circuit isoperable to communicate one or both of the lift data or data indicatinga maintenance condition of the vehicle lift; and (b) monitoring thevehicle lift, wherein the act of monitoring the vehicle lift comprisesreceiving a communication from the communication circuit.
 2. The methodof claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is operable to communicatewirelessly.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle lift ispositioned at a first location, wherein at least a portion of the act ofmonitoring the vehicle lift is performed at a second location remotefrom the first location.
 4. The method of claim 3, further comprisingreceiving a communication from the communication circuit at the secondlocation.
 5. The method of claim 1, the method further comprisingstoring lift data collected by at least one of the one or more sensors.6. The method of claim 5, wherein the vehicle lift is positioned at afirst location, wherein the act of storing lift data is performed usinga storage medium positioned at a second location remote from the firstlocation.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors arein communication with the processing circuit via the communicationcircuit.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle lift ispositioned at a first location, wherein the processing circuit ispositioned at a second location remote from the first location.
 9. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: (a) detecting a maintenancecondition of the vehicle lift, wherein the maintenance condition of thevehicle lift is detected by the processing circuit; and (b) receiving acommunication from the processing circuit indicating the maintenancecondition detected by the processing circuit.
 10. The method of claim 9,wherein the vehicle lift is positioned at a first location, wherein thecommunication from the processing circuit indicating the maintenancecondition is received at a second location remote from the firstlocation.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication from theprocessing circuit is received at the second location via thecommunication circuit.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein thecommunication circuit is configured to communicate the maintenancecondition of the vehicle lift in response to the act of detecting themaintenance condition of the vehicle lift.
 13. The method of claim 9,further comprising preventing use of the vehicle lift in response to theindication of the maintenance condition of the vehicle lift.
 14. Themethod of claim 13, wherein the vehicle lift is positioned at a firstlocation, wherein the act of preventing use of the vehicle liftcomprises issuing a command to prevent use of the vehicle lift, whereinthe command is configured to prevent the vehicle lift from raising andlowering vehicles, wherein the act of issuing a command to prevent useof the vehicle lift is performed from a second location remote from thefirst location.
 15. The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle lift ispositioned at a first location, the method further comprisingdispatching maintenance personnel to the first location in response tothe indication of the maintenance condition of the vehicle lift.
 16. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising displaying at least a portion ofthe lift data collected by the one or more sensors.
 17. The method ofclaim 16, wherein the vehicle lift is positioned at a first location,wherein the act of displaying is performed at a second location remotefrom the first location.
 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehiclelift is positioned at a first location, the method further comprisingcommunicating one or both of data or commands to the vehicle lift from asecond location remote from the first location.
 19. A vehicle liftsystem, the vehicle lift system comprising: (a) a vehicle lift operableto raise and lower a vehicle, wherein the vehicle lift is positioned ata first geographical location; (b) one or more sensors, wherein at leastone of the one or more sensors is positioned on or in the vehicle lift,wherein the one or more sensors are operable to collect lift data,wherein the lift data indicates one or both of lift use characteristicsor lift performance; (c) a processing circuit in communication with theone or more sensors, wherein the processing circuit is operable todetect a maintenance condition of the vehicle lift based at least inpart on the lift data; and (d) a communication circuit in communicationwith the processing circuit, wherein the communication circuit isoperable to communicate one or both of the lift data or data indicatinga maintenance condition of the vehicle lift to a second geographicallocation remote from the first geographical location.
 20. A vehicle liftsystem, the vehicle lift system comprising: (a) a vehicle lift station,wherein the vehicle lift station is located at a first geographicallocation, wherein the vehicle lift station comprises: (i) a vehicle liftoperable to raise and lower a vehicle, (ii) a vehicle lift monitoringsystem operable to collect and communicate lift data representing one orboth of lift use characteristics or lift performance, wherein thevehicle lift monitoring system comprises a plurality of sensorspositioned on or in the vehicle lift and a first communication moduleoperable to transmit lift data; and (iii) a vehicle lift monitoringstation, wherein the vehicle lift monitoring station is located at asecond geographical location remote from the first geographicallocation, wherein the vehicle lift monitoring station comprises a secondcommunication module operable to receive transmissions from the firstcommunication module.